According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, in 1996, the youth sector made up 66% of the total population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Undoubtedly, the young generation is the most pivotal and essential human power which has a decisive toll in the trend of human development and construction. The Palestinian youths are playing a leading role in this process after the political changes in the Middle East.

During the lengthy years of occupation, Palestinian youths lived under terrible conditions and circumstances. They were deprived from many basic and legitimate rights like practicing their own activities and organizing themselves in youth bodies and organizations.
Palestinian youths led confrontations against occupation during the Intifada [Palestinian Uprising]. As a result, thousands of Palestinian youths were killed, injured, arrested, imprisoned and or tortured. They lived in an atmosphere of violence, stress, anxiety and insecurity putting them under enormous strain.

After the signing of the Oslo Accords between in 1993, and the start of the Israeli withdrawal form parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1994, a new era of peace started in the Middle East. This reflected a dramatic change for youth in terms role as Palestinians. They moved from leading demonstrations and confrontations with the Israeli Army to undertaking a leading role in building up their civil and democratic society.

Palestinian Youth Union (PYU)

As nation energy that was once directed towards resisting the occupation have refocused on the building of a Palestinian society, there is an immense need for specific community structures to provide support for youth and ensure their effective integration into this process. Thus, the creation of the Palestinian Youth Union was deemed necessary as to create better opportunities for youth through working in educational, recreational, cultural, sport and environmental activities and programs.

The PYU was established in 1992 by a group of youth who were actively involved in the Voluntary Youth Movement. The PYU had been initiated in the early seventies and banned at the beginning of the Intifada by Israeli military orders.

General Objectives

The ultimate goal of the PYU is to support the development of informal community based educational, cultural, recreational, sport and environmental activities and programs in order to provide Palestinian children with better chances to develop their personalities, skills and capacities. Ultimately, youth will actively participate in the building of a civil and democratic society.

Specific Objectives

• To support the establishment of community based centers, especially in the rural areas.
• To train a cadre of young leaders capable of developing and managing children and youth centers and programs.
• To upgrade and advance youth programs through network and cooperation.
• To support youth exchange programs, international camps and cooperation with youth organization is in other countries.
• To raise awareness and increase the consciousness of the community, youth in particular, to the needs and rights of children, youth and women.
• To mobilize the youth in addressing social problems and phenomena like domestic violence, drugs, unemployment, early marriage etc.

The PYU has been active in developing and elaborating a range of programs and activities aiming at activating the youth sector and enhancing them to healthy environments for development.

Summer Camps

The PYU has taken part in the development of a network with nine nongovernmental organizations for youth and women to set a project specialized in summer camps in Palestine for the youth and children to spend their free time in summer vocations in a productive way.
"The Higher Committee for the Supervision of Summer Camps" elaborated a project that aims at supporting and encouraging the community to hold responsibility toward it's youth and children, providing them with the chance to participate in educational, cultural, artistic, recreational and environmental activities. The aim is to develop concepts of respect and value of tolerance among youth and children while encouraging them to practice their freedom and rights in a healthy atmosphere.
In 1995, 700 youth leaders were trained and supported to organize summer camps in their regions. Approximately 8000 children between the ages of 5-12 participated in summer camps. UNICEF, UNRWA, Save the Children and the Ministry of Youth and Sport supported the project.

International Voluntary Camp

The PYU organizes an international voluntary youth camp every year. The project started in 1995, with participants coming from many countries, are introduced to the Palestinian culture and society and actively take part in renovating of old buildings to be used as youth centers.

Youth centers

The PYU has developed an effective strategy of making use of old abandoned houses and sites especially in the rural areas. The union provides the youth with technical and financial support to rent the place, renovate it and transform it into bases for youth activities. Through this strategy, the union helps in preserving cultural sites and establishing community centers at low costs that activate the youth and involve the community. The centers are run by a trained cadre of youth leaders and include libraries, playgrounds, meeting halls, etc.

Exchange programs

The union has established links of cooperation with a number of youth organizations in other countries such as France, Germany, Jordan, Norway, Italy and Sweden. Palestinian delegations have visited those countries and PYU members have received delegations from these countries.

Local Networks

The PYU is a member of several local youth networks:

• The Steering Committee for Non Formal Educational Activities.
• The Founding Committee for The Palestinian Youth Council.
• The Join Committee with the Union of Centers in Refugee Camps and the General Union of Palestinian Disabled.

• Youth are collecting local tales in three Palestinian villages from the elderly. A number of worth publishing tales were selected to be published into a book. The project is funded by Diakonia.
• A joint training program involving the PYU branches and the local councils in five villages is a one year project on planning and implementing projects.
• training for PYU cadre.

Future Plans

• A project, "Youth for Palestine", aims at developing the Palestinian youth sector through building 16 community centers all over the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The project will last for three years 1998-2000.
• Training the PYU staff to upgrade the range and quality of services carried out in PYU's branches.
• A project, "Youth Environment Center" is an idea to establish an environment center that provides and arranges a variety of environment related activities.

Funding

In addition to mobilizing community support of the projects of the union, membership fees, the PYU receives support from a number of funding NGO's and governments like the Representative Offices of Germany and Netherlands, NGO's in France, Sweden, Italy, Norway, USA, England, Germany and Spain. In addition to the Quakers, Diakonia, Swedish Committee for solidarity with the Palestinian People, UNRWA, UNICEF, Save the Children and the pontifical Mission.